Matthew Block: It’s a bad time to be religious in Canada

One view regarding the balance between religious and other freedoms but one that in my view, understates the importance of the impact this understanding of religious freedom would have on those who do not share those religious beliefs:

This curtailment of religious freedom has appeared even at the highest levels of government. Consider the leaders of Canada’s three major parties. Over the past few years, one has publicly condemned as “unCanadian” the religious ideals which motivate a Christian organization’s international relief work. Another has banned members of his party from voting according to deeply held moral and religious beliefs on issues regarding life. And another has campaigned to ban women from wearing certain religious garb while taking the oath of citizenship.

Like all Canadians, these leaders are free to dislike the religious choices of others, and to do so vocally. But when government coerces others to act against conscience, or argues that they have no right to express their religious beliefs in the public square, then there is a problem. These are quite literally the first freedoms guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms: “freedom of conscience and religion,” and “freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression.” If religious freedom is to mean anything, it must mean the ability to practice one’s faith both privately and publicly, without interference from the government or the public at large.

We would be closer to the Canadian ideal of a tolerant society if more people believed that.

Matthew Block: It’s a bad time to be religious in Canada